Currently, golf club shafts are hollow steel or graphite tubes that are relatively thick at the grip end of the golf club, and narrow as the clubhead is approached. Typically, current golf club shafts have a series of steps therein. The thickness of the shafts change to a narrower thickness at each step.
Golf club shafts must meet the requirements of the United States Golf Association Rules of Golf to be considered "legal" for tournament play. The USGA Rules require in Appendix II, Rule 4-lb, that the shaft be "so designed and manufactured that at any point along its length:
(i) it bends in such a way that the deflection is the same regardless of how the shaft is rotated about its longitudinal axis; and PA1 (ii) it twists the same amount in both directions.
This Rule is believed to be the reason that golf club shafts are currently of circular cross section. Since golf club shafts have previously been believed to require circular cross sections, there has been little opportunity to make golf club shafts more aerodynamic. Another reason golf club shafts are not made more aerodynamic is believed to be an underestimation of the amount of drag created by the shaft when a golf club is swung.
Thus, a need exists for an improved golf club shaft that conforms to the Rules of Golf and is more aerodynamic than current golf club shafts. In particular, a need exists for an improved golf club shaft that allows the golf club to be swung faster by the player with the same or less effort to create more power, and longer shots.
These and other objects of the present invention will be more readily apparent when considered in reference to the following description and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.